Jail ALTERNATIVES

WHATCOM COUNTY JAIL

Current alternative programs include:

Electronic Home Monitoring

Electronic Home Detention

Work Release (to qualify, your employment must be within Whatcom County)

One Day Offender Program

Additionally, the Alternative Corrections Center manages five in custody offender work crews and three out of custody offender work crews. Offender work crews perform a multitude of jobs in the community including salmon habitat restoration, greens maintenance and litter pick up.

Visiting times are different for each facility.

Visiting is based on the inmates housing, which can change. Refer

to the Jail Roster for housing assignments.

Inmates are responsible for informing visitors of their location

Due to security concerns, inmates participating in the In-Custody Work Crews will be limited to 2 video visiting monitor locations per half hour.

Kitchen inmate workers may visit at any of the listed visiting hours in which the kitchen inmate worker is not scheduled to work.

Each inmate at the Jail is allowed 1, 1-hour visit per week.

Each inmate at the Interim Work Center is allowed 2, half hour

visits per week.

There is no visiting for Work Release inmates.

Adult visitors must have current picture ID.

Picture ID must include full name and date of birth.

No recording devices or cell phones are allowed in our visiting areas.

Visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, unless they are coming to visit a parent.

Unaccompanied minors visiting their parent must present a copy of their birth certificate.

People coming into any of our facilities can be searched.

Visiting will not be allowed between individuals when it is known that a current no-contact or restraining order exists.

Inmates and/or visitors who violate jail regulations or Washington State law during a visit may have their visit terminated, lose the privilege of visiting and/or be subject to arrest.

​Jail is a real possibility in any Whatcom County case. Frankly, Whatcom County loves giving Jail to its defendants, so expect Jail! However, Whatcom County may also give you the option of "Jail Alternatives," which may permit you to avoid actually spending time in Whatcom County Jail. The Jail and "Jail Alternatives' (called the Interim Work Center), is operated by the Corrections Bureau.

The jail is a maximum-security facility responsible for the incarceration of approximately 245 prisoners daily. The Interim Work Center averages 130 minimum or low-medium custody and alternative corrections inmates. An average of 30 inmates a day are serving time on Electronic Home Detention. The Corrections Bureau also oversees part of a state wide transport chain that links the various jails and detention facilities. Corrections Deputies make daily trips to Skagit, and Snohomish County jails.

The Alternative Sentencing Program is also the responsibility of the Corrections Department. Options in sentencing alternatives include home detention, work crew and work release as alternatives to incarceration.

JAIL VISITING HOURS

Acceptable items for U.S. Mail delivery to include: letters in white envelopes and US Postal money orders (in US funds), photographs, newspaper clippings, written documents forwarded for signature and legal mail between attorney and inmate. All other items are considered contraband and will result in the envelope, and it contents, being returned to sender or investigated for criminal violation.

Incoming mail is distributed within 24 hours of receiving, excluding weekends and holidays. Deputies will distribute mail directly to the person addressed. Inmates are limited to no more than 20 pieces of mail in their cell at any time. Incoming mail is opened and inspected for money and contraband. All U.S. funds will be deposited to the inmate’s trust fund account less any money is owed. Magazines must come directly from the publisher. Books must come from the publisher, Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Mail containing any of the following may be returned to sender:

Address labels / stickers *a return address label on the envelope may be copied and given to the inmate

Racist or other inflammatory materials, including gang symbols and hand gestures

Sexually explicit materials, nude/seminude photos, including babies and children

Stickers, string, ribbon, white out

Tobacco or tobacco products

Unknown substances on envelope, paper, photos

Greeting type Card (As of 12/10/12)

Any non-white envelope (As of 11/15/15)

EXPERIENCED | SUCCESSFUL | AFFORDABLE

WHATCOM COUNTY CORRECTIONS

If you are having trouble receiving collect calls from an inmate, please call 1-888-729-4326.

The Alternative Corrections Center for Whatcom County is located at the Whatcom County Interim Jail Work Center, located at 2030 Division St., Bellingham WA 98226, (360) 676-6909. If you have been sentenced for a crime in Whatcom County District Court or Bellingham Municipal Court , you will be advised to appear at the "Jail Alts" facility that same day.

Applicants for Jail alternatives and Work Crew should report to this facility for all services. Office hours are 8-4 P.M., M-F.

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The Alternative Corrections Center and the programs they manage are designed to provide the courts and offenders and alternate form of incarceration. Each program is designed with specific goals and objectives to provide the following:

Identify and select participants who pose minimal risk to the community and may benefit from this form of supervision.

Offset the cost of correctional supervision by instituting fees for participants.

Whatcom County Jail VISITING RULES

ALTERNATIVE CORRECTIONS CENTER (JAIL "ALTS")

The Whatcom County Jail is located in the Public Safety Building at the corner of Central and Prospect Streets in Bellingham. The entrance is off Central Street, on the opposite (east) side of the building from the main entrance to the Sheriff's Office.

The Interim Work Center is located at 2030 Division Street in Bellingham.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Further, if you are not a United States Citizens we strongly encourage consulting with an immigration attorney to determine how a criminal charge may affect your immigration status.